Two New Species Of Soft Coral Discovered In Caribbean

Tank Predator

Tank Predator

New member
ScienceDaily (Dec. 21, 2007) â€" Two new species of soft corals were discovered during an October expedition to Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles, the largest atoll in the Caribbean. Herman Wirshing, a graduate student from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science's Biology and Fisheries Division, joined leading coral reef experts from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAM-CC), and the Universidad de los Andes in Columbia, to help identify and quantify soft coral and crustacean species on the Bank.


The team collected 40 species of soft corals and nearly 100 different species of crustaceans in just ten days of SCUBA diving and exploration. One of the likely new species was found in deep water (70 m), and the other, surprisingly, was found to be common in shallow water (20 m).

“Since the gorgonians of the Caribbean are a well-known group of corals with only a limited number of species, the discovery of a new species in the shallowest parts of the Bank was quite unexpected,” said Peter Etnoyer, a gorgonian expert from the Harte Research Institute (HRI) at TAMU-CC, and the researcher who asked Wirshing to participate in this expedition. Wirshing concludes, “we will have to do more work to carefully verify and describe all of the diagnostic characteristics of this new shallow water gorgonian, but we can already conclude that it belongs to the genus Pterogorgia, in which so far only three species are known.”

The expedition is part of an ongoing effort from the Department of the Environment of the Netherlands Antilles (MINA) to develop a sound management plan for the Bank. With funding from USONA, the organization that distributes development funding from the Netherlands, a project was started in June of this year to collect as much knowledge as possible about the Bank. The effort is built upon previous work in the region, including the first rapid assessment expedition by Conservation International in 2006 (which also contributed a representative to this expedition) surveys by the Dutch Hydrographic Service in 2006 and a yearlong fisheries survey conducted in 2000.

Project leader Paul Hoetjes of MINA is hopeful that by the end of the year a well-structured draft of the proposed management plan and legislation to support it, as well as a finalized proposal to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will be prepared. The goal is to have the Saba Bank designated as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA), which will help to regulate shipping over the parts of the Bank that lie outside the territorial waters of Saba, but are still located within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Netherlands Antilles.

Dr. Juan Sanchez of the Universidad de los Andes in Columbia, a leading expert on gorgonian corals and crustaceans, Dr. Thomas Shirley, Endowed Chair of Biodiversity and Conservation Science of HRI at TAMU-CC, also participated in the expedition. The data and samples collected from this cruise will provide an important baseline of present crustacean species on which future changes in the ecosystem can be measured.

“This expedition to the Saba Bank was not only an excellent opportunity to demonstrate both qualitatively and quantitatively the rich biodiversity of this relatively unexplored area, but also to work with some of the world's leading experts in gorgonian and crustacean biology, as well as government organizations to help build and maintain a more sustainable and thriving ecosystem in the area,” said Wirshing.

Wirshing is currently a Ph.D. student studying molecular systematics of hard corals and gorgonian corals with Rosenstiel professor, Dr. Andrew Baker. His research will help scientists better understand the natural history and diversity of hard and soft coral ecosystems.

Adapted from materials provided by University of Miami.

071213152310sm1.jpg



This new species of gorgonian soft coral, belonging to the genus Pterogorgia, was discovered in the Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles, the largest atoll in the Caribbean. (Credit: Juan Sanchez, Universidad de los Andes (Colombia)
 
Thats great you found the article too!! I sent it to Jon this afternoon. but when i looked up Saba Island, its like way up near the Virgin Islands , about 500 miles NE of Bonaire where Jon is Reef Surveying. but still, you never know. That is a cool green color. sure would like to have one.
 
Found this I wonder if its related. Funny we find 2 new species when most others are in decline.Florida Drought

Florida drought has an upside
Lack of rain has left waters cleaner and healthier
By ZAC ANDERSON
zac.anderson@heraldtribune.com

SARASOTA BAY -- Drinking water supplies are low. Farmers and lawns are struggling. But Rick Grassett said his charter fishing business has been "very good," and he believes Florida's severe drought is helping.

Grassett sees the drought's positive impacts on local estuaries during near-daily fishing excursions throughout the region.

"It's been great out on the water," said Grassett, a fishing guide who has operated out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters in Sarasota for 18 years. "Sea grass is thicker and more abundant. Fish are more plentiful."

Grassett's observations are supported by a variety of environmental researchers. Statewide, rainfall is 20 inches below average over the last two years, diminishing the flow of fresh water into coastal estuaries.

Environmental experts say the drought is neutralizing harmful drainage from farms and old developments, reducing water pollution and boosting marine life in local bays.

Scallops have been found in some bays for the first time in years, and are expanding in most areas.

Oysters are thriving as well, with the highest survivability rates since Sarasota County began monitoring them in 2003.

Researchers also predict a banner year for sea grass, a key habitat for juvenile fish and other marine life.

And red tide,, a harmful algae bloom which can feed on pollutants in storm-water runoff, has been noticeably absent along the Southwest Florida coast, although the drought's impact is debatable.

The results provide evidence backing ecological restoration efforts and environmental protection measures such as lawn fertilizer restrictions, environmentalist experts say.

"Florida has spent the last 100 years trying to drain off the fresh water -- and we've done a great job of that -- but there were some serious consequences," said Jack Merriam, Sarasota County's environmental manager. "The drought illustrates why we need to restore a more natural hydrology."

To be sure, the drought is having negative ecological effects as well, especially in freshwater ecosystems like the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee, according to scientists.

And extreme conditions are never good in the long run, said Catherine Corbett, senior scientist with the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program.

"What you really hope for is balance," Corbett said.

But some species are seeing clear short-term benefits, in habitats such as Dona Bay, in Nokomis.

In the 1960s, the land around Dona Bay's tributaries was drained for agriculture. Area streams were straightened to funnel storm-water and irrigation runoff quickly into the bay.

The result: Dona Bay's watershed expanded from 15 square miles to 75 square miles, dumping millions of gallons of excess fresh water into the bay and disrupting the ecosystem.

With less fresh water and pollutants flowing in, oysters and sea grass this year are thriving and scallops have been found for the first time.

Similar drainage practices were employed from Sarasota Bay to Charlotte Harbor, where miles of canals were dug to drain land and provide waterfront real estate.

Most of the canals in Port Charlotte and North Port drain into Charlotte Harbor, carrying pollutants from roads and lawns.

Especially troublesome are algae-feeding nutrients from lawn fertilizer and from human waste in septic systems.

Dense algae blocks light that sea grasses need to grow, said Jon Perry, a Sarasota County environmental expert who organizes the county's annual sea grass survey.

"Water clarity is very important for sea grass," Perry said. "How much light is available for photosynthesis and growth? If you block the light, then the grass will have degradation."

Sea grass also thrives in more salty water, a trait shared with scallops and other species.

"We've seen a really dramatic increase in scallops this year," said Jay Leverone, a staff scientist for Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, who has studied bay scallops in Southwest Florida for 15 years. "We can't confirm the reasons; we can only observe. But we do know that we don't have those stressors like excessive freshwater and nutrients."

Another factor helping scallops is the lack of red tide in the region. Red tide often kills sea life.

Grassett, the charter boat captain, said red tide nearly wiped out spotted sea trout in the region in 2005. The fish has rebounded nicely this year.

"It's just an observation, but red tide seems to be worse when it rains," Grassett said.

Despite the lack of storm-water runoff that can feed red tide,, Cindy Heil, a senior scientist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg, said the drought is having a minimal effect on whether blooms come near shore.

"There was a red tide bloom off the coast of Sarasota earlier this year, but the reason it did not come to shore was mostly oceanographic conditions," Heil said.

But if a bloom did come to shore, it likely would be worse during rainy years. Near-shore nutrients can increase the strength of a bloom by 20 percent, Heil said.

Local governments are taking steps to reduce nutrients in local waterways. They range from replacing septic tanks with sewer systems to banning certain lawn fertilizers.

"If we can clean up the runoff, we can clean up our waterways so we're not worried every time it rains," Merriam said.
Click to expand...
 
scubadoo2, unfortunately that is the only image I have seen so far.(the one Predator posted)

Bonaire has some of the highest diversity of coral and fish life and the science team that is here is jokingly calling dibs on who gets to name the first species. The primary focus of the team here is to do a large scale survey of the whole island, so they won't be looking at things all the way down to the species level. The person heading up the team is also a Geologist and not a biologist, though there are at least three benthic biologist here.

I have seen one species of hermit crab here that I have yet to be able to identify. I sent a message to Ron Shimek hoping he can help out. He gave me some good direction, but it looks as if it is more then I could do alone on this island. Especially since it involves "several days, typically, in a good library to find the references necessary". The taxonomy information is just a pain in the *** to find.

You guys will be the first to hear about it if there is anything new or exciting found.

Jon
 
I probably won't be bringing back a single frag or rock or anything this time as it is illegal. They do a good bit on the island to protect the reef which I respect. It's hard though seeing little tiny pieces of massive corals just laying on the bottom.

I may not be able to come home with any great pictures either as I haven't been able to get my referral papers to dive, and have been coming down with something that is messing up my sinuses. I was supposed to do my check out dives today to! :-( Also the camera I was going to borrow on the trip leaks. I took what would have been some amazing shots and all that came out was blurs. Cross your fingers for me as the glass is looking half empty.

Jon
 
I have some pictures of my trip to belize (about 2.5 gigs worth) that I will eventually get around to uploading to a photobucket account. When I do Ill be sure to post a link so that everyone can see.
 
Belize sounds cool. I have a friend who spent 9 months diving at Belize while getting his dive master certs. Never sent me any pics though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Tamara Marshall
Comprehensive Article About Bubble Algae - Manta Systems Article
Replies
0
Views
72
Tamara Marshall
Tamara Marshall
F
Invasive Algae in my tank
Replies
10
Views
286
Timfish
Timfish
DRThompson
FMAS Holiday Party Dec 7th, 2024 @2pm
Replies
0
Views
56
DRThompson
DRThompson
K
Huge difference in tanks per coral
Replies
4
Views
246
Kirino
K
Reefing102
New Deep Sea Coral Reef Discovered Off The US
Replies
0
Views
204
Reefing102
Reefing102
Back
Top